Bangladesh postal money: Open accounts for Tk 2

In an effort to take banking to a larger population, the government has launched Dak Taka, a postal financial service that allows users to open accounts with local post offices with only Tk 2.

Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy launched the service at the Posts and Telecommunications Division on Monday.

“We want to make life easier for people, so that they can comfortably use mobile and online services for everything. For that, we need to digitise the financial services,” Joy said.

“There are no banks in some unions. So we decided to expand the banking services through post offices. People can transfer money from home and also digitally spend government allowances,” Joy said.

With ‘Dak Taka’, Bangladesh aims to make banking services available to 30 million people by 2018, State Minister for Posts and Telecom Tarana Halim said.

The service was launched by opening an account for Tangail resident Morzina Begum, who until now had not been acquainted to banking.

This service will allow clients to deposit and take out money through postal cash, said Sonia Bashir Kabir, vice-chairman of D Money, the technical partner of the service.

“It is like a digital wallet. It will also allow clients to shop via card or app.”

Eventually the service will be extended for transaction with other financial institutions and will be launched commercially after three months, she said.

Square Group Director and D-Money Chairman Anjan Chowdhury and Post and Telecom Secretary Shyam Sundar Sikder were also present at the event.